“We’re sort of counting noses to make sure we fit,” Ginny explained. “The morning group is getting popular.”

“Count two. A friend of mine from here at the home is planning on coming with me. By the way, did I tell you we started a UFO group here at the retirement apartments, meets every Tuesday morning? Talk about a refresher for some of these women. I heard one guy refer to this as the old age home. Could have castigated him but didn’t want to get caught in his web of negativity.” Sometimes Amalia threw in unusual words for the pure joy of it.

“I can’t tell you how much it meant to me, your staying here all that time.” Amalia could feel a smile as she listened to Ginny’s thanks. “I miss you.”

Amalia agreed with that. “I miss you. And the farm too. Anytime you want me back, let me know. I’m glad you and Addy have such a great time together. Ouch. Oh, cat’s claws don’t feel too good on bare legs.”

Ginny snickered. “Cat’s claws also pull runs in fabric. Your legs will heal; fabric doesn’t.”

Down inside, Amalia’s heart sang. Ginny was beginning to sound like her old self again. “So true.” She nodded, tucked her knitting in the bag beside her chair, and settled Jehoshaphat to be more comfortable, now that he would let her pick him up. “You should see my lanai. Thanks to you, I have tomatoes budding, cucumbers climbing up the trellis, and a basket of petunias starting to trail over the sides of the pot. Oh, and the basil smells so good. I made caprese salad last night, even though I had to buy the tomato to slice with the baby mozzarellas. The basil was grand. I could eat that salad every day.”

She stroked the cat, hoping to set him to purring. A purring cat was about as relaxing as watching a fish tank. She’d thought about getting one again, but decided to put it off until winter, if at all.

“What time is it now?” Ginny asked. Amalia knew she’d given up wearing a watch because something in her body chemistry stopped watches.

“Almost noon. I was trying to decide what I would have for lunch. Wanna go to Annie’s?”

There was a pause on the line. Perhaps Ginny still felt nervous about going out in public. “Annie’s it is.”

Ha. Ginny was indeed coming back to life. “Okay, I’ll meet you downstairs. See you in a bit.” She clicked off her cell and stretched her arms over her head, only to feel sharp claws in her thigh. “Sorry, I wasn’t going to dump you down.” Inhaling through her nose, she held it then blew her breath out of her mouth. Immediately the warmth of relaxation bathed from head to toe. “Sorry, Cat, I need to go change clothes, wasn’t planning on going out.” She set the cat on the floor, got a dirty look, and headed for her bedroom. Slipping into capris and adding a white shirt to tie at the waist, she slid her feet into her walking sandals and made her necessary bathroom stop, one more indication of advancing years. Her knitting in a bag over her shoulder that also held her billfold, she moved the cat inside to close and lock the sliding screen door, just to be safe. Big as he was, he could probably reach the latch and open it.